Walk On By
by Cowgirl Em
Summary: A Pai and Yakumo romance fic!! ^_^;;;; It's set after the last episode... to my knowledge that's episode 5 *shrugs* It's a little corney, but isn't that what love stories are all about?


  
OKay, cos this is a love shrine, this fic isn't dark at all!! It's mushy and fun! So I suggest if you can't cope with that... don't read it! Otherwise, this is really cute! I don't own 3x3 EYES it belongs to Toei animation! Not me! I repeat, not Emily okay????^_^

Walk on By  
By Emily McGorman AKA Cowgirl Em!!

As Pai wandered down the street laughing with Kenken and Dawn, she failed to notice her once lover Yakumo Fujii staring back at her smiling....

"Well, there she goes" He smiled to himself. "I wonder.. if it'll ever be like it once was?"

He smiled again and turned in the direction of home. Yakumo and Pai and been through so much together, but he didn't know if she would ever know him as she did. He remembered how last time he had thought that she would know him... "Grabbing her in the street, that was pretty dumb" he laughed to himself despite the situation. "Will she know me? I sent her flowers..." He reached for his shirt pocket and pulled out the number of Pai's grandparent's house "hmm" he thought hard before stuffing the paper back into his pocket.

*****

While Yakumo was thinking about Pai, Pai was thinking about Yakumo.

"I can't help it if I like his name!! Besides the guy saved me, am I not allowed to wonder if he's nice?" Pai giggled

"All I know is this, if he really does care, he'll call right?" Kenken asked

"I suppose so" Pai let her head droop

"What's wrong?" Don asked

"I.. I just know that.. sometimes when there's been something I really wanted to do... I never could find the courage. What if it's the same with... Yakumo" she looked up into the Sky

"Oh Pai!" Kenken rolled up her magazine and hit her on the head with it "Get out of the clouds! He'll call!" 

The girls walked on laughing all the way back to Pai's Grandparent's house.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow!! Bye Kenken, by Don!" Pai waved extactically as she watched her friends walk on their way. She closed the door and walked into her bedroom.

"Ya... Ku.. mo" she repeated the name to herself as she sprawled out on her bed. "Why does it sound so familliar?" She folded her arms behind her head and closed her eyes.

*****

Yakumo Fujii was sat on a bench in the local park also thinking. He pulled his nose out of his book and gazed to the sky. It was getting dark faster these days and he loved the stars. He chuckled as he remembered the night he had spent at Pai's house when she didn't know who he was... "Look at the stars... the're really beautifull" He had said to her back then... he laughed now as he realised what a typical decoy that was.

He peerd back at his book and remembered that he and Pai had said they were going to write a book together... "Yeah, like that's ever gonna happen" He shut his book fiercly. Bitter towards the situation "Why can't I just be happy? ... Pai..." He took out a photograph he had of her when they first met.

*****

Pai couldn't stay at home. Something was pulling her outside. She didn't know what but she changed out of her school uniform and wraped up to go on a walk. She told her Grandparent's she wouldn't be long and set out into the night.

"Sure is a beautiful evening" She looked up at the stars. "Now, where to?" She scanned her area "Might aswell be the park" She summed up and set off in the direction of the centeral park.

When she arrived there she saw Yakumo sat at the bench gazing to the stars. She didn't know how she knew, but she was sure it was Yakumo, the boy who had saved her... she ran towards the bench and Yakumo looked up.

Pai stopped running "What was I thinking?" She thought "I don't want look desparate" She stood by the bench frozen in her thoughts

"Um, Hi?" Yakumo laughed

"Oh.. erm.." Pai couldn't think of anything to say "Anyone sitting here?" She pointed to the empty seat next to Yakumo.

"No, be my guest" he shoved over to let Pai have more room

She sat down next to him. He had his head in his book again now and was thinking to himself about the situation. Everything in the air seemed so tense. What had made Pai come out anyway? He noticed she was looking at him and he turned to face her

"What? What is it?" he asked checking his hair with his hands to see there was nothing in it.

Pai laughed "It's nothing, you just... I know this'll seem really cliché, but do I know you?"

"Oh" he pulled his hands from his head "Um, no I don't think so" He looked back at his book.

"Sorry" she blushed "I just thought you reminded me of someone"

"Hey, no sweat, we all look like people, eh Pai?" he smiled.

"Hey, how'd you know my name?" Pai was startled

"Um, I... You look like someone I used to know too" Yakumo stood up "I'm off, you wan't some company getting back home?" he asked politely

"Sure!" Pai shrieked excitedly Jumping up and grabbing his arm

Yakumo stared at her and smiled. It really was his Pai. "This reminds me of when I first met her, she was so full of happiness" He thought "I've found my Pai but she doesn't know she's found me. In future, I'll just have to Walk on By as if I don't know her" . He sighed.

"What's wrong?" Pai asked concerned

"Nothing, I was just thinking that's all" He turned to her and smiled. She was still firmly linked to his arm, "it's a nice feeling, but it's probably nothing to her" he thought

"I don't want to let go, this is so unlike me" Pai thought "I wonder what he's thinking, he's not throwing me off. It's like he wants to protect me" Pai rubbed her face into his arm

Yakumo blushed uncontrolably "Are you always this friendly Pai?" He asked to make her just as uncomfortable. It worked. Pai jolted off his arm and turned as red as he was.

Yakumo laughed and Pai joined in. They reached her grandparent's house and she turned to face him. "Thank you for taking me home"

"You can always rely on the kindness of strangers" Yakumo smiled and shoved her towards the front door, "Now get going inside before your family starts worrying"

Pai smiled and nodded "Goodbye" she shut the door.

Yakumo stared at the space where Pai had stood. He clutched at his heart "Ouch!" He mimed as he started to walk away. "After all this time... it was Pai... Oh Pai" He walked home with a huge smile on his face.

*****

With the weekend in full swing, Pai had arranged to meet up with Kenken and Don. She planned to tell them everything about her meeting with the boy in the park. There was a knock on the door and Kenken and Don appeared in the door way.

"Hi Kenken, Don!! Come in!" Pai shrieked

"You better tell us everything about his meeting!" Don orderd

"With nothing left out!" Kenken pointed.

"Oh I'll describe everything" Pai's eyes lit up "you know how we talked about finding the right guy?" she asked

"Oh you don't think?" Don nudged Pai

"How should I know!" she laughed "But, this guy, I.. had a weird feeling, like I knew he was Yakumo.."

"Ahha, the Guy that saved you! You're obsessed with that guy" Kenken proded her

"But, I never even got his name. He knew my name though... and he was just sat on a bench looking at the stars.... he had a book in his hands and he looked so poetic" She sighed "He offered to walk me home..."

"And you accepted of course?" Don asked eagerly

"Well it was weird I seemed way too eager, I jumped up and grabbed his arm" Pai blushed

"You never?" Kenken loked at her with wide eyes

She nodded "I did, and I nuzzled up to him while we were walking, then he said 'are you always this friendly' I was so embarrased, I'm so glad it was dark!" She smiled remembering "We laughed the rest of the way home, I got inside and realised I never got his name.. I looked out again and he was gone"

Kenken and Don are now looking to the ceiling with "googoo eyes" 

"It sounds wonderful" Don said dreamily

"It was, but I wish I knew who he was" she sighed "I have such a strong feeling about him, I want to see him again" Pai lay back on her bed 

"Well why don't we go hang out at the park, maybe he'll be there again?" Kenken suggested

"Of course!!!!" Pai Hugged Kenken "You're a genious!! You'll get to see him!!"

"What are we waiting for, let's go!!" Don grabbed Pai.

The three girls raced out of the park to the bench where Pai met Yakumo. There was an empty bench, but not a sign of Yakumo

"This is it, I guess he's not here today. Well, it was a nice try, c'mon while we're out we might as well go to desertland! My treat!" Pai put her arms around her friends shoulders and headed for desertland.

They each grabbed their favourite Icecream cones and headed back to the park. It was busy now and they fought to find a bench. They succeded and sat down talking about their day. Pai felt a twinge down her spine and she looked dead ahead. She looked past the crowd and focused on the otherside of the park. There was Yakumo leaning with his back on a tree hands in his pockets.

Pai dropped her icecream cone, Kenken and Don looked at her, but she ran straight ahead not looking back, pushing her way through the crowd. She was that excited the almost knocked an old woman off her feet. Kenken and Don raced after her frantically calling her name but she didn't stop. Yakumo noticed her aproaching as he turned his head. He jumped back from the tree in shock... bad move. 

"You are Yakumo!!!" Pai screamed and she leapt at him causing him to fall backwards.

Yakumo and Pai crashed to the floor but Pai was not distracted, she grabbed him where they lay and held tight to his shoulders "You are Yakumo aren't you? You're the boy who saved me?"

Yakumo was a little dazed and now slightly confused "Ugh.. Pai? What're you doing?"

Kenken and Don watched the scene along with the rest of the crowd that had been pushed out of the way.

"Pai?" Don stared with her mouth open

"Don, Kenken, this is the boy who walked me home last night, It's Yakumo isn't it?" Pai beamed at them

"That's Yakumo, but I think you've knocked him back Pai" Kenken held her head in her hands

"I'm fine" Yakumo stared at Pai "She... remembers me?" he thought "Pai, do you know who I am?" he asked

"You're the boy who saved me, and that's why last night, I felt such a strong connection with you. You said you were a stranger, but you're more like a familiar stranger, does that sound mad?" Pai babbled

"No, it sounds familliar" Yakumo admitted

"Fujii!!" Pai screamed "You're Yakumo Fujii?"

Yakumo's eyes opened wide "How.. did you know that?"

"I don't know, it just suddenly came to my memory did we know each other?" Pai asked curiously

"I feel as if I've known you all my life" Yakumo laughed pulling himself away from her and sitting up.

They sat up on the grass and asked Kenken and Don to join them

"How did you know this was Yakumo?" Kenken asked

"I don't know! He's the boy who walked me home, and I thought if he was kind enough to do that, he must have been Yakumo, the boy that saved me" She gazed at him lovingly

Yakumo blushed and looked away screatching the back of his neck "Oh well" he laughed

"There's no need to be shy" Don nudged him "She's been talking about you non-stop since she found out your name, and since last night. You're her hero!!"

Yakumo blushed harder "Her.. Hero?" He looked at Pai who was grinning and nodding "Oh heck I did what any other boy in my position would do... didn't I?"

"Oh Yakumo thank you!" Pai hugged him again

"Pai..." Yakumo smiled still blushing.

"Looks like Someone's in love" Kenken and Don chanted causing Pai and Yakumo to become incredibly uncomfortable around each other...

Pai let go immediately and held her hands in her lap "How can I love him I don't know him"

Yakumo contained his pain of hearing her say those words... "You did know me Pai... you said you loved me... you said you'd never forget me... I should get used to this... Walk on by Yakumo... walk on by" He sighed to himself and the others looked at him.

"I gotta go" He said gathering himself together "Maybe I'll see you another time girls" He started on his way

"Wait! Where will you go?" Pai asked

"I'll be around, see ya" He turned his head sharply and refused to look back towards her

"Bye" Pai whispered and felt her heart ache.

"What are you waiting for Pai, follow him!" Don shoved her

"Wha?"

"It's obvious you two are like destined for each other, go on, we'll call you later" Kenken urged

"Follow him? Isn't that like Stalking and isn't that illegal?" Pai folded her arms

"Will you go!" Don pushed her again "We'll call round later!"

Pai scrambled to her feet and followed Yakumo. "Where is he going in such a hurry?" she thought "He was in a rush to get away from me... but could he not like me?"

Yakumo turned in to a dull apartment, but instead of getting inside the room, he walked along the balcony and looked out over the garden. He sighed and let his head droop "Pai... how can I tell you what you meant to me"

Pai gasped and pressed her back against the wall. She didn't want to be found "He did know me!" she thought to herself

"Why is love so cruel?" Yakumo screamed to the heavens "Sanjiyan! Why? Why does she have to forget everything?" His head droped again and he continued sobbing

"Sanjiyan?...Love?... Forget??" Pai went over what he was saying in her head

"I should have never got involved, I should have helped her and then gone... but I can't. I still love her, She's my Pai... I told her I'd always love her and I will" He sniffed hard and tried to hold back his tears "She said she loved me" Yakumo crept away from the railings on the balcony and leant against the wall. He slid down and sat on the floor.

Pai had heard enough... she didn't know what to do. She twiddled her thumbs nervously wondering if he was going to say anything else. He wasn't.

"I have to face him" Pai whisperd to herself "I have to know how he knows me and why we were so close" She took a deep breath and shouted "Yakumo Fujii!"

Yakumo's head shot up and he looked in the dirction of Pai "P- Pai!" He chocked on his words as he tried to say them "H- How long have you - been there?"

"Long enough Yakumo" she put her hands on her hips "Now I know, we did know each other, we were close and..." She jumped and sat next to him "You're going to tell me everything!"

Yakumo sighed, not knowing if she had heard that she'd told him of her love for him, he decided to tell her that he was on a quest with her to find a statue for his father. He said that on that quest they had become good friends, but unfortunatly there was an accident and they got separated. He thought it was best to leave the part about the Sanjiyan out.

He finished his version of the story and smiled at her. She wasn't smiling "What's wrong?" he asked

"That's not... how it was" Pai closed her eyes slightly

"What d'you mean?" He asked a little worried "I told you everything"

"You lied. As you were telling me I know you left something out. I remember Yakumo, I rememberd as you were telling me. When you were screaming just now you called 'Sanjiyan' that was me wasn't it?" She pulled the amulet out of her pocket "I used this didn't I?"

Yakumo felt himself droop "Yes"

"You said you loved me, and I loved you?" She glared at him

"We were very close friends" Yakumo grinned "Friends love each other" he didn't know his reason for not telling her the truth about their love, but the truth was, he was embarrased.

"I had three eyes, one was here" She pointed to her forehead "And I saved you with it... that's why we were so strongly connected, I have... your soul?"

"No, not anymore..." Yakumo added quickly

"So... you promised to make me human. You succeded, that's why you have your soul" Pai hitched her knees up to her chest "You risked everything for me didn't you?" She looked at him but he said nothing. "Thank you, once again Yakumo. And thank you for telling me the truth." She stood up "So I will see you round?"

"Yeah" He smiled

She walked away round the corner of his apartment and off towards her own home.

"That was unexpected" Yakumo puzzled to himself as she walked away.

*****

When Kenken and Don came to hear the news Pai told them of how they did know each other and everything that had happened between them, Including the parts about her being a Sanjiyan.

"Wow, that's heavy" Don put her hand on her shoulder

"I know it's true because I remember all of it so clearly now. That's why I felt so strongly connected with him, we weren't destined lovers... I had his soul" Pai sniffed "He said we were close friends and that friends Love each other... we were good friends" Her eyes welld up "I shouldn't be dissapointed with that should I?"

"You wouldn't be... if you didn't love him so much more than just as a friend" Kenken pointed out "You said before you couldn't love him, because you didn't know him. Well you do know him..."

"And you do love him" Don finished

"And I think deep down he loves you too" Kenken smiled

"Then why did he say we were in love as friends?" Pai sniffed again

"I seem to remember someone saying something about 'not haveing the courage'?" Don smirked "He may have known you but does that make it any easier to say 'I love you'? Think about it Pai"

"You're right... but..." She looked at her friends, one of them was holding Pai's coat another was standing by an open door

"Ready to go change your life" Kenken joked putting Pai's coat on her

"We'll be around in the morning Pai, good luck" Don smiled and walked out the door followed by Kenken.

"Thank you my good friends" Pai smiled to herself. She straightened her coat and looked in the mirror. "If I'm going to tell him I love him... I'll have to look better than this!" 

She pulled her coat off her shoulders put on her pink blouse and blue skirt and looked once more in the mirror. She ajusted her hair and pulled on her special coat. It was trimmed with fake fur round the top and reached her ankles, it flowed beautifully in the wind. She smiled at herself and headed out of the door.

She got to Yakumo's apartment and it was quite late. She stood outside and looked for Yakumo. He wasn't in his back yard but there was a light on inside.

"He must be up" She walked to the sfront door and held her coat tight to her body "This is it. Come on Pai..." She knocked the door loudly. "I did it... I did it!!" She jumped up and down on the spot then noticed the door had been opened... "Y - Yakumo?" She stared at him...

Yakumo was dressed only in his Boxers, obviously getting ready for bed as he had opened the door half asleep not realising what he was wearing.

"Pai..." He rubbed his eyes sleepily. Then he noticed her eyes fixing on him... he looked at her then at himself and noticed what he was wearing "Argh, PAI!" He hid himself behind the door.

"Sorry Yakumo" She laughed and blushed "I didn't mean to"

"Yeah well..." He sighed realising he'd totally lost her respect for him "Come in and I'll go change"

"No need to on my acount" She laughed

"Pai!" Yakumo Blushed and walked into his room and got changed "Boy now I feel dumb" He said to himself pulling on a pair of trousers. "I could have been worse I guess, I mean I could have been wearing bunny slippers and - " He stopped abrubptly as he felt someone hugging him.

Pai had grabbed Yakumo from behind and was now laughin wildy as she hugged him.

"PAI!" Yakumo coughed out "You scared me!" He turned difficutly to the mirror and saw their reflection. He still had no shirt on but she had grabbed him round his middle and she poked her head round the side of his body to see the mirror.

"Oh Look, It's me and you!" She laughed

"Really?" He replied sarcastically. "What are you doing here Pai?" He asked trying to get his shirt on.

Pai released him and turned away from the mirror "To be honest I'm not sure"

"Hmm, okay" He pulled his shirt on thankfully and lead Pai out into the living room. "Take a seat. You look like you've got something to say and I have a feeling I'm gonna need to answer some questions about your past" He sat down

"Well not exactly" She sat next to him, practically on top of him "I don't have any questions... I have something to tell you" She blushed

"O..kay?" Yakumo was confused

"You see, when we first met I thought we had a connection. Um that sounds really corney doesn't it? Oh well, an after I remembered what happened I realised that's because I had your soul." She looked away from him 

"Well, it could be that... I suppose" Yakumo shruged

"But... I didn't want it to be that" She pushed her index fingers together

"I'm not exacly following you here Pai" Yakumo scratched his head

She looked at him and stood up "It doesn't matter" She said "It was silly of me, I'll go.." She went to leave but Yakumo grabbed her arm

"Tell me!" He begged "I wan't you to tell me what's wrong. Pai, you were once a very happy young woman, and I want to know why you're not happy anymore." He let go of her arm and sat back down.

She starred back at him. "You want me to..." She bit her lip nervously "okay"

She walked towards his seat and knelt down infront of him. She folded her arms and put them on his knee, then she rested her head on them. "It's you... you interest me" she smiled

"Uh... thanks" he shifted slightly

"I mean it, you're an interesting person. I've always thought so. You're kind and considerate, all the good qualities every woman wants for a husband" She blushed slightly

"HUSBAND?" Yakumo fell backwards off his chair...

"Oh Yakumo!" she ran to him "Sorry, that came out wrong! I just wanted to tell you... " she blushed "And now I've ruind everything... are you okay... Yakumo?" She bent over him and cried on his stomach

Yakumo raised his head and laughed "Heh! Who knew?"

"Oh Yakumo you're alright! Thank goodness!" She hugged him

"Yeah... okay" Yakumo stood up and pushed his chair upright then sat once more in it. "Could you slow down a bit, my head's spinning now more than ever" he admitted

Pai knelt by the side of his chair this time, leant over and kissed him on the cheek. Yakumo froze and opened his eyes wide. She giggled thinking of what she could say next "Um... I wanted to say... OKay" She dropped back on the floor with a heavy sigh "The reason I felt drawn to you could well have been something from our past, but I think it was because ... we were in love. Not as friends, our strong connection was because we were destined lovers... That's my theory anyway" She grinned with a crimson face.

Yakumo's expression had not changed. He was the one now with nothing to say. Those were pretty mmuch the words Yakumo had dreamed of hearing ever since he saw Pai again, but now he'd heard them he was frozen in shock. He could fight evil monsters, he could have servere pain surge through his body, but mention love and he froze like a deer in the lights of a speeding car.

"Please say something so I don't feel so foolish" she looked at the floor

"Pai..." Yakumo shifted his gaze "You're... right. We were real close, you left me and I thought I'd never see you again. I asked you to come back to Tokyo to live with me and we were happy. But then you lost your memory... You remember the rest" He closed his eyes and let his head droop

"That's brilliant!!!" Pai jumped up and grabbed Yakumo's arms pulling him out of his seat

"Pai? How is that good" He asked bewildered

"Can't you see? I still love you despite everything we've been through! This is so great!! Do you still love me Yakumo?" She stopped jumping and looked at his face

Yakumo made an attempt to cover his blushing by looking at the floor, but it was useless "Pai, when we were in our final battle, I said 'I'll always love you' I still stand to that... so Yes I do" He lifted his head up sharply, grinned at her then pulled her close to him and hugged her tightly.

Pai giggled happily. She threw her arms around him and lifted her feet off the ground. He spun her round and the two of them laughed heartilly. Finally they had found each other. Yakumo gently put Pai back on the floor and held her shoulders. "I never break my promises" he smiled and gently kissed her lips.

*****

The End.

*giggles*  
- Cowgirl Em  
cowgirl_em@hotmail.com  
http://ranch.topcities.com/3x3.htm 


End file.
